INFORMATION PAPER

a. Units deploying to Bosnia have the been issued the Personal Armor System, Ground Troops (PASGT) body armor, the current Army standard body armor.

b. The standard body armor provides greater (body) coverage than the Ranger Body Armor at a lighter weight but is only designed to protect against fragmentation.

c. Ranger Body Armor (RBA) is not a standard Department of Defense (DOD) inventory item and must be purchased from Government Services Administration (GSA) schedule. RBA contains a metal plate (in the front of the torso) which protects against small arms fire during assaults or when patrolling high threat areas.

d. USAREUR requested and received 350 sets of the Ranger Body Armor.

e. The Body Armor Set, Individual Countermine (BASIC) has been requested by USAREUR. BASIC is designed to protect during mine clearing operations and consists of boots, trousers and face shield and used in conjunction with the standard body armor and kevlar helmet.

f. USAREUR has requested 180 sets of BASIC for deployment to Bosnia. BASIC is not currently available in Department of Defense (DOD) inventory and SSCOM has awarded contracts to produce 180. Delivery to USAREUR is anticipated to be early Jan 96.